Chapter 22: The Hidden World Gate
The group left Veyr Mountain at first light.
Evan carried Elias’s second journal safely inside his coat.
The words from the final page remained in his mind.
The next Fourfold must not follow my path blindly.
They must make their own choice.
Evan wondered what choice Elias had wanted the next traveler to make.
Kaela walked beside him.
“You’ve been quiet.”
“I’m thinking about Elias.”
“About his warning?”
Evan nodded.
“I don’t want to make the same mistakes he did.”
Kaela smiled.
“Then don’t.”
Evan looked at her.
“That’s easier said than done.”
“I know.”
She continued walking beside him.
“But you don’t have to figure everything out alone.”
Evan smiled.
“Thanks.”
By midday, they reached the location shown on the map.
At first, there was nothing unusual.
Only a wide valley surrounded by rocky hills.
Ronan looked around.
“This is supposed to be the location?”
Evan checked the map again.
“Yes.”
Liora frowned.
“There isn’t a Gate here.”
Silas walked toward the center of the valley.
“Maybe it’s hidden.”
Evan remembered the strange symbols beneath Veyr Mountain.
He removed Elias’s pendant.
The star-shaped symbol began glowing.
A faint line of light appeared beneath his feet.
Everyone stepped back.
The ground began to shake.
A circle formed across the valley floor.
Four symbols appeared around it.
Fire.
Water.
Lightning.
Darkness.
Evan stared.
“The Fourfold.”
The circle began rising from the ground.
Stone and light formed together.
Kaela looked up.
“So it was here the entire time.”
Ronan shook his head.
“No. It was hidden.”
Evan approached the Gate.
His mark became warm.
The Gate responded.
But instead of opening immediately, four smaller symbols appeared across its surface.
Evan touched the first.
Nothing.
The second.
Nothing.
The third.
Nothing.
Then he touched the dark symbol.
The Gate reacted.
His eyes changed from red to violet-black.
Darkness spread across the surface.
A doorway slowly opened.
Everyone became silent.
Beyond the Gate wasn’t another city.
It was a strange landscape beneath a black sky.
Floating islands stretched into the distance.
Ancient structures hung between them.
Kaela stared.
“What world is that?”
Evan shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Silas looked frightened.
“Neither do I.”
Ronan stepped closer.
“Should we enter?”
Evan looked at Elias’s journal.
One sentence came to mind.
The Gates are not meant to be controlled.
Evan looked through the doorway.
“We don’t know what’s on the other side.”
Kaela nodded.
“Then we should be careful.”
Suddenly, something moved beyond the Gate.
A distant figure appeared on one of the floating islands.
Evan couldn’t see the face.
The figure raised one hand.
The Gate began closing.
Evan stepped forward.
“Wait!”
The figure disappeared.
The Gate closed completely.
Silence returned to the valley.
“Who was that?”
Evan stared at the place where the figure had stood.
“I don’t know.”
Silas spoke quietly.
“But they knew we were here.”
Ronan looked toward the mountains.
“Then we’re not the only ones searching.”
Evan opened Elias’s journal again.
A new line had appeared on the previously blank page.
He hadn’t seen it before.
When the hidden Gate opens, the second will see the world beyond the world.
Kaela leaned closer.
“What does that mean?”
Evan shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Then another line slowly appeared.
Do not enter until you understand what follows you through.
Evan immediately closed the journal.
“We’re not going in.”
Ronan nodded.
“Good.”
Kaela looked at him.
“You made the right choice.”
Evan looked toward the closed Gate.
For once, he wasn’t frustrated by not having an answer.
Elias had left them a warning.
And Evan intended to follow it.
Far away, inside the ruined fortress, Aurelion opened his eyes.
He had felt the hidden Gate awaken.
A faint smile appeared.
“The second has found it.”
A messenger approached.
“Should we attack?”
Aurelion shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Evan hasn’t entered yet.”
The messenger looked confused.
Aurelion turned toward the northern mountains.
“When he finally crosses that Gate, he’ll discover something that will change his understanding of this world.”
He paused.
“And then he’ll understand why Elias disappeared.”
Back in the valley, Evan looked at Kaela.
“We’ll find the answers.”
Kaela nodded.
“Together.”
The hidden World Gate remained silent behind them.
But somewhere on the other side, something had noticed Evan.
And it was waiting.